2025 Middle School Nutmeg Nominees

Updated April 29, 2024
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African Town /
Latham, Irene.
Paper Book
Chronicling the story of the last Africans brought illegally to America in 1860, African Town is a powerful and stunning novel-in-verse. In 1860, long after the United States outlawed the importation of enslaved laborers, 110 men, women and children from Benin and Nigeria...
Bloom /
Oppel, Kenneth,
Paper Book
"The perfect book right now for young readers searching for hope, strength, inspiration -- and just a little horticultural havoc."--New York Times   The first book in a can't-put-it-down, can't-read-it-fast-enough action-thriller trilogy that's part Hatchet, part...
Elatsoe /
Little Badger, Darcie,
Paper Book
One of TIME Magazine's Top 100 Fantasy Novels of All Time -- Now in Paperback! Locus Award Winner--Best First Novel   A National Indie Bestseller Nebula Award Finalist Lodestar Award...
Invisible /
Gonzalez, Christina Diaz,
Paper Book
A USA TODAY and Indie Bestseller! For fans of New Kidand Allergic, a must-have graphic novel about five very different students who are forced together by their school to complete community service... and may just have more in common than they thought. ...
Iveliz explains it all /
Arango, Andrea Beatriz.
Paper Book
How do you speak up when it feels like no one is listening? In this moving novel in verse, one girl takes on seventh grade while facing mental health challenges, and must find her voice to advocate for the help and understanding she deserves. "Powerful." --Lisa Fipps, Printz Honor...
King and the dragon flies /
Callender, Kacen.
Paper Book
A 2021 Coretta Scott King Honor Book! Winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature! Winner of the 2020 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry! In a small but turbulent Louisiana town, one boy's grief takes him...
Obie is man enough /
Bailar, Schuyler.
Paper Book
A coming-of-age story about transgender tween Obie, who didn't think being himself would cause such a splash. For fans of Alex Gino's George and Lisa Bunker's Felix Yz. Obie knew his transition would have ripple effects. He has to leave his swim coach, his pool, and...
Starfish /
Fipps, Lisa
Paper Book
A PRINTZ HONOR BOOK * Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this poignant novel-in-verse. "In her debut novel, Starfish, Lisa Fipps confronts diet culture and fat phobia head-on. . . .  The book reads as if Ellie herself is writing these poems,...
Troublemaker /
Cho, John,
Paper Book
An instant New York Times bestseller! An Indiebound bestseller! An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book! Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan...
Year of the Reaper
Lucier, Makiia.
Paper Book
"I love the magic Lucier weaves through this dark yet hopeful tale. I devoured it in one sitting!" --Kristin Cashore, author of the New York Times bestselling Graceling Realm books "A beautifully crafted novel containing everything I love in an epic fantasy: complex characters and...

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